What could bloom
by Hydrochloric Cutie
Summary: Percy meets Penelope and something blooms from that beautiful friendship


**Percy and Penelope**

Percy didn't have many friends while he was at Hogwarts; no one wanted to be near the bookish weirdo. He would either sit in his dormitory, studying; in the corner of the common room, studying; or in the library, studying. He remained this way for the first four years of his school career. He always pulled down top-notch grades and was well rewarded for it. He got the letter saying that Dumbledore was making him a prefect. He was finally ranking up to his two older brothers: Bill being Head Boy, and Charlie being Quidditch captain. Both of them got all the girls. No one had paid any mind to him. His younger siblings got more attention. Fred and George were always in some sort of trouble; Ron already went through the obstacle course set up to protect the Sorcerer's Stone; and Ginny was a girl so she always got attention because of that.

When he got on the train, he immediately was required to go to the prefects' carriage. He met the one girl that would change his life forever: Penelope Clearwater. She was just barely tall enough to reach his shoulder. Her hair was brown chocolate that cascaded down her back in perfect spirals. Her eyes strangely reminded him of robins' eggs, so sky blue. He sat in a seat opposite from her and introduced herself.

"I'm Percy, Percy Weasley," he chanced a smile at her.

"I'm Penelope Clearwater," she said, extending her hand to shake his and returned his smile. He blushed slightly; slowly he had learned to control the infamous Weasley blush, not that he had much to blush over in his life so far. The meeting went over rather well and Percy we to his own compartment. Once he settled down he heard a knock at the door. Penelope was standing there.

"May I sit here?" she asked brightly.

"Sure, your friends ditch you or something?"

"Nah, I ditched them, you mind?"

"Of course not, I was wondering why a gorgeous girl like you would want to grace my presence," he said, but regretted it once he saw her face drop.

"You think I'm gorgeous?"

"Well, why wouldn't I think that?"

"You're the first person to even notice me," she said, now avoiding his eyes.

"Oh, well. Won't everyone in Ravenclaw be jealous that I stole their prettiest girl," he said. She giggled and sat down across from him. She opened her bag and pulled out a book and some parchment.

"What are you working on?"

"Just some last minute work, I forgot to do Snape's essay on the beazor."

"Oh Merlin!" he feigned shock. "I can't believe a Ravenclaw forgot to do her homework."

"I didn't forget, I just purposely didn't do it. I hate Snape's class."

"You truly are a puzzling girl, Miss Clearwater."

"You have no idea," Penelope said, a sly grin on her face.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Over the next couple of months, Percy and Penelope had become fast friends, usually pairing up for prefect duty. They would talk in the library until Madam Pince would kick them out at closing. Percy could help her with her homework while she would try to get him to loosen up. One Saturday, Penelope was sitting in a puffy armchair that Percy had conjured. She had his Weasley family jumper on, because it was rather drafty, and simple black sweat pants. He had on a button down shirt, half-undone, revealing a wife beater, and a pair of loose fitted jeans. Casually, he was sitting on the ground, his back resting on her chair between her legs. He was reading a book and she was attempting to do the same. Her eyes kept glancing at his flaming red hair. He was letting it grow a bit, after much begging from Penelope; now it settled to the bottom of his ears. Soon she found herself running her fingers through it, letting the silky strands flow through her fingers like liquid.

Percy noticed this action and welcomed it. He leaned his head back slightly to allow her better access. Percy noticed that they were spending more and more time together, maybe his feelings were being reciprocated.

"Hey, Penny, can I ask you something?" he took a deep breath, knowing full well that if he never met her he could have never done this.

"Yeah, Perce, anything," she said, rubbing his scalp lightly.

"You want to go to Hogsmeade with me later?"

She stopped rubbing his hair and just stared at him. Slowly he tilted his head back so he could gain eye contact. His eyes were pleading with her, but she really hadn't needed to be pleaded with, she was just waiting for him to ask her out. She needed to know if this was for real though.

"You mean it?"

"Yeah, we could go to the three broom stick for a butterbeer …" his voice trailed off but he spoke the next words softly. "Or Madam Puddifoot's for lunch."

Her eyes widened. "Of course I'll go with you, we can go anywhere, and we don't have to go to Madam Puddifoot's."

"But that's where couples hang out, don't you think we should go there?"

"Sure but… Wait! Are you asking me to be your girlfriend?" she asked.

"Only if you want me to be your boyfriend."

She brushed the hair off his forehead and placed a gentle kiss there. He smiled, knowing for once in his life, he had something good going for him.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

There had been yet another attack, but this time it was different. Penelope and Hermione had been petrified. He and Penelope had only gone to Hogsmeade that once, one date then she was petrified. He really wanted to kiss her but he chickened out at the last minute. Percy would mope around the castle, concentrating more on his work than ever. All of the friends that he had acquired through Penny, were trying to help him cope. He even allowed himself to hug her friend, even letting her cry on his shoulder.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The end of term feast had begun, and everyone was waiting for the petrified people to come down, everyone except Percy. He waited in the hospital wing for Madam Pomfrey to administer the Mandrake draught. When she woke up, he hugged her so tight, a bone crushing hug that Mrs. Weasley would have been proud of.

"Can we go somewhere?" she asked.

He nodded and they waited as Madam Pomfrey examined her, hoping that she would clear her. When Madam Pomfrey nodded her head in ascent that they could leave, Percy led Penny to an unused classroom, shutting the door tightly behind them.

"Penny, what's wrong?" he asked, holding her hand and stroking it lightly. He was hoping that she wouldn't break up with him, or say that she didn't feel anything more than friendship toward him. But before he could finish this though train, she was kissing him. He couldn't think properly at first but once he got his mind on straight, he put his hands round her waist, pulling her closer to him. She moaned at the force he used and she deepened the kiss. It was like a fire started in Percy's belly, and was slowly encasing his entire body as their tongues met. He picked her up and sat her on the nearest desk. She wrapped her legs around his back, making him stop.

"Are you sure you want this? Because if I don't stop now, I don't think I'll be able to later," he breathed into her ear.

She drew him in for a quick kiss, then pointed her wand at the windows and said "Obstructo." The windows were instantly covered with a black substance. Percy waved his wand and a few lit candles appeared. Penelope heard a soft click as she magically locked and sealed the door. Quickly she muttered "Silencio" at the door and tossed her wand aside.

"Yes, Percy, I want to. I've wanted this for a long time now."

His lips crashed down to hers and began to loosen the buttons on her blouse. Her fingers were working feverishly to undo his tie. He moved his kisses to her neck and she gasped in surprise. 'He actually knows what he is doing. Someone must have read some books or he must have asked Bill or Charlie,' she thought. She took this opportunity to yank his shirt from the waistband of his jeans, pulling it over his head with out undoing any of the buttons. He helped her shrug out of her shirt and both moaned at the skin to skin contact. Her hands explored his lean back, not very muscular but still all of what Penny wanted. Eventually clothes were completely off, blankets were conjured, and candles extinguished.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

'Percy is a great lover,' Penelope thought as they dozed in each others arms on their way home on the train. She would let him sleep because they didn't have rounds until later. Suddenly the compartment door opened loudly, waking Percy. He tightened his arms around her protectively. Fred and George were looking down at him, sniggering away.

"So this is who Ginny saw you kissing earlier," George said.

"Miss Clearwater, why would you want this pompous prat?" Fred asked.

"Because I love him," she stated simply. She snuggled her head back onto his chest. The twins left the compartment in complete shock. He looked down at her and kissed her forehead. "I love you too," he whispered.


End file.
